The Dark Shroud(Book 1)

d me. I walk into the open and Galvin points his gun at me, tears fill his eyes, he also starts to shak

knew you woul

t above his wound. I feel the tug of his soul separate and his body

n at Brina. "What are you doing to my brot

turn to him w

the person who ruine

ng, don't do it," Ren says int

of punishment when he dies

nding to look at his body. "Are you not

m, "but I don't care, I wan

is hands start to shake uncontrollably and regrip

ittle bit and he feels some pain in his chest. I see his as a string and so does he, it's seems broken and stained, then I realize it is this way because of the way he is. The worse he does the more corrupt his soul becomes. It even has a metallic smell and l

ou feel the pain as I tear the soul from your body in pieces. You will become broken, but don't you worry, you won't be stuck here like other broken souls. You will pass to the underworl

im and to Ren

acket, there is a box. I n

a small black box with a white ribbon, I place it in my pocket and then turn ba

not kill him and corrupt myself in the process. We walk to the edge and I sit against a rock next t

love you and I don

at you love me." Ren smiles and th

the angel of death

exactly

by other names including the in between and

happen to m

nd you will follow the angel to be

l I see y

w, but I hop

per exactly? He asks to d

fevers that never went down, and I was bed ridden. It wasn't until I started coughing up blood that I knew what I had and how long I would live, my days were numbered."

ey do die it is beautiful thing, nature, and they accept it. I don't feel sadness for the souls I take, not even t

yone famous?" h

the soul of Abraham Lincoln when he got sho

s. "I think taking and harv

of it up until their last day living. But on that day, when you know it is your last, you change. You see things in a different light on a higher level. The world around y

ver see y

will be togeth

e break in the trees overlooking the ocean where Tartarus is now open. They see the angel hooded and tattooed from head to toe walk onto the plain o

o the angel who has now moved closer to us for us to touch him. Ren moves around the angel and into the breach, he disappears from view, but not before telling me that the box was for me. I

o be my la

s. "Yes. You will find your repla

e it to

re obligated to let you an

, similar to robin's egg blue, on top of the box are the words, Tiffany &co." I open to find a beautiful white gold and diamond ring with the diamonds positioned to form X's that wrap around the band. I

." I a

o you have t

some time, w

sing, have you se

have been given my least reaping and I will need to find a successor." All the words seem to flow out of me in a

and I instantly asked if Tif

d be cut out for that k

tremely easy and you get to stay you

is the

And if you have an assignment, you have to take it no matter what you are doing or where you are. Your life will belong to the

ave to do to b

, I will take c

igh before she speaks. "I wil

f the apartment. She walks in wearing all

d gestured for her

will thi

the sanctuary so you can take my soul. You will also need to learn to shadow jump and flip into

ve me the powers?

Please lie down

my hand turn black just before I see the blackness fill the hand I am holding. As this happens Tiffany tries to pull from me but I cannot let go. I hold onto h

e, am I re

jump and snap to the gray area, then second, how to re

and smiles. "The

soul at the hospital. She watches from afar and in the shadows. After the soul materializes, I walk back to her and tell her that a soul r

ve the souls you take. Every morning at dawn when the sun breaks the horizon with a green flash, one of the angels of death will walk onto the mortal pl

ll be my f

ed where I reaped William and lie down against the cold stone, Brina lies

wil

When you place your hand, you will feel a pull. The detachment of my soul and body mi

y soul to materialize five feet away. I walk to her with the feeling of me being there and somehow not at the same time. I try to f

l reaper, use your

ng a thin black dress that falls to her knees. Her wings are small and gray that wrap around her neatly tattooed arms. She is blonde with hair that reaches past her hips; she is also leaning forward so that her hair is covering her face. She stops when she reaches the plane and holds up her hand to usher the souls into the afterlife, I feel a pull and am drawn to the light door behind the angel. I can feel some frustration, but no matter how reluctant I am, my feet will not stop moving towards

e in the distance and along the banks of the river are made of amethyst and sparkle with the light from the lanterns making them also glow. I am immediately stopped by Cerberus the three-headed dog that guards the entrance to the underworld. Cerberus holds his head high upon seeing me and growls; it isn't until Brin

pay for

ith a whispering voice. "All reapers a

de out of gold and amethysts. I get out of the boat and Charon starts to push off and go back. I walk up to the door and it opens to a grand hall filled with many angels of death, all dark and hooded in some way or other. At the end of the hall are two empty thrones. One of the thrones is

m. Hades is tall and handsome with an older look of a middle-aged man; he sits on the large throne. Persephone is very beautiful and young looking with long auburn black hair that falls past her knees in the small th

ades, the God of the underworld, s

ent and then I answer. "I was a

down the step to the ground floor of the hall and hugs me like we are long lost, friends. I take in her scent, which is a blend of pomegranates and wheat and cinnamon. She lets me go and Ha

at again," I say standing over him

s says laughing and

was r

d me on his reaping day that you were not a push over. Even if it invol

am I afraid to tell a god off. Wh

that how long that soul has before it needs to be taken. He told me that your soul was the strongest he has ever felt even in your weaken state. He to

al about me, a lot of peo

n angel of death, but hire ranked. I want you to be part of my court as a judge. I have been looking for a third judge for over a millen

s in it

l command my angels of death along with the fates at my side. And

f Ren?"

sephone asks whil

fore my last," I

orward in his cathedra. "He told me that y

ing that sou

fields of punishment," Pe

ck at Hades. "Why ha

has killed well over 100 men for his mafia family. I am sorry, but if you are

s and knowing it isn't the end of the world.

my side," he sa

the fields?" I a

to see him while he is being punished, he will feel happiness and will no longer feel the co

to serve at your side

looks at me very tenderly and then at Pe

ext question. "What if I serve in the f

for water with an undying thirst. Would you be wil

ling to hold t

The whole room then follows suit including Persephone. "This is my ultimatum; you will serve at my side

thought I would humo

xt to his throne. He waves his hand a chair forms in midair similar to Persephone'

s at me with raised eyebrows,

Hades is still holding his hand up when he waves again. I feel silk and satin form on my skin. I look down to see a gold and black gothic dress. My hair waves and floats in the air to pin itself to the top of my h

now." Persephone says after looking at Hades. He nods and sh

hosted white and lavender with gold eyeliner. The choker is bla

rs and I look at Ha

to another and then leads me down a long narrow hallway to a high arched door. Beyond this door is find a magnificent suite of dark marble and a bed with red tapestries draped over the canopy to hide the bed from any wondering light while any occupant sleeps. The ser

tapestries open and a tray of eggs and sausage on a serving tray. Next to the food is a pitcher and glass of ice-cold orange juice. I eat and dress into another

nd me. I turn and see that he and Pers

he empty seat at his side. I walk up to the seat, tu

ul. This place has now become very bright and welcoming, if I were to die like a normal mortal, this is a place I would want to spend the rest of my eternity. You can see everything including the hell hounds guarding the entrance of the hall, which I didn't even

o a group of souls led by a dark-skinned angel. The angel forces

explore, we have

s forward and cower

" Hades says leaning forwa

an Peters and

standing with a long-unrolled scroll in h

scroll and begins t

e of lies, chea

s smiling, and then at

we?" Hades as

and then does the same to Persephone. Hades see

Hades. Hades walks down the steps to him and nods to the angel that brought him in to b

el women shoul

Women are possessions. Their sole purpose in

h anger and both Hades

ng bothering you?

strife and also wal

e smiles and nods befor

el and he drops t

think of wom

and to pull off my glove. I let him examine my hand with his. "Soft

or about 250 years." I rip my han

e a re

er. "Do you have a

m and of how I knew Ren didn't like to be told no. If I am to earn him back, I will ha

ink women should have

such as myself? P

that is way too mu

ays speaking up with a smile, "I will le

mile and then at the man w